Preparation
Despite completing another long distance cycling route just a month ago, I was little nervous in the night while fastening the tent to rear rack, which has never used before. Actually I bought that tent two years ago with ambitious fantasies of, again, a long distance cycling. And realising that the time has come was increasing my excitement. I have baked some coconut chickpea cookies and sesame bars to ensure I will survive in a very low budget, all went into bags amongst with spare bike parts, tools and few clothes. Everything seemed ready, went to sofa to sleep, door opened and Sivan came, she kindly accepted to give me two tabs! slept.
[note: put map with route under every track]
Day 1, London - Peterborough
Left one of my shelters in London, House of Friendship in Stokey, and headed to Lea River. Roads were still wet from last night's rain but sun was also shining. Just a minute after managed to make my first wrong turn and ended up in a close next to the river. Climbed back a not so gentle slope as an early punishment, found the right turn, slid down, I was at the river. After a happy cruise of tens of minutes got lost again around Enfield, decided to use phone's map and it did work a bit. When passed Tonwell cars were already faded away. It seemed LEL route from Audax UK was the right choice. However, I only realised that the Google Maps were doing funny alterations to original tracks from Audax when I ended up at odd places multiple times, like vegetation plants, rivers without passes nor bridges or completely inaccessible, fully secured private roads. Then best thing happened and O2 cut my connection due to unpaid bill. Probably because of being fresh and motivated yet, I didn't mind too much and found my way to pretty town of St Neots, home of the famous chippy the codfather :D, probably most honest and friendly, yet delicious in the country. However, same freshness (or stupidity) couldn't stop me from having facetious ride on M1 from somewhere to Stilton, then gladly pulled myself to Yaxley via Norman Cross. Took a deep breath and asked Deborah via roadside cafe WiFi if she can pay my bill, which she did, therefore this leg dedicated to her. I've arrived Peterborough quite late and sweaty. A pint gulped in a cheeky bar, phone charged, campsite found and I woke up to this.
First morning in the tent. It was better than I thought. Had a "french bath" with baby wet wipes, ate some food then packed up stuff and left campsite for York (which I would not arrive at the end of the leg). Slowly glided up towards River Nene and it took almost an hour to warm up legs properly. I had my first and worst ever petrol station coffee on the way to Stamford. To be honest, I don't remember to much detail but cute narrow roads between villages until arriving Lincoln. 11th century built grand cathedral and old town was impressive there. Had a lunch at a nice cafe in touristic area and back to roads again. The route was following the canal way and was pleasing enough. Had a nice ride until a cross somewhere I confused again and foolishly got help from Google Maps again, the biggest traitor. Ended up on a very muddy farm field but didn't turn back and kept my loyalty to map until reaching to just a plain grass suggested as a bicycle path by it. That was my way to Goole where I managed to arrive only in the evening, before the rain just started. However, the industrial little town welcomed me warmly as I entered in a pub next to some factory. The scene was not quite something I used to see in London. A stage for bands, couple of bikes siding to wall. A toddler and couple of kids playing around. A topless huge man making jokes in a language I don't understand, and a bartender serving £1.5 pints with a warm smile. They offered me to stay for the night but I insisted to go a natural reserve close by, which was closed when I was there, and turned back to marina near by the pub and camped. That was the Sunday when I woke up, with a bad weather of storm and rain. Checked weather report and saw it will be gone in few hours, procrastinated in the tent for some time and finally decided to move on. Goole gave me two painful insect bites on my both legs which are not full healed yet.
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| Google Map's suggested bicycle path near Dutch River. |
Day 3, Goole - Yaffort
NOTE: Just realising I forgot to finish this post, it's 14/04/2019 today. Not much remembering the journey as before.
I set of from Goole with sour body but thanks to showers I got before reaching York, a beautiful yet posh city, it wasn't that bad the way people looked at me :p It must be the route LEL I was following which gets decorated by sculptures made artists and collectives around the world around the theme of cycling. I must admit that York is really handsome, and in my humble opinion that you must visit there at least once to understand what means being English. However, the roadside corner I slept somewhere near Yaffort was also cute, I'm glad I found it between all that monstrous road work and autobahns.
Day 4, Yaffort - Dalston
Finally getting some real deal. Richmond, is a tiny fair tale hill, beautiful and nice people, cute local events and you the feeling when you talk with people, the education and nicest tone and voice they express. It's like you hear an dense extract of english literature in a tea biscuit. Also extra thankful to young lady who provided me two pocket size mobile phone charging batteries, what later saved me from another lost track and very precious calories. I took one of the tab after a gentle climb towards Yorkshire Dales national park. With beautiful nature, good vibes + bicycle and LSD! you cannot go wrong :) Anyway, few highlights I can remember;
- Micro hills and descends where other I have joined random other cyclists by the river Svale
- Climbing a monster ascend somewhere before Tan Hill and getting caught a rain, I literally screamed, but the feeling to reaching the top, feeling darn muscles in that way, I'm a new person since then.
- Welcome to Cumbria sign and enormous fun during descend, hoops, and the rain of course =D
Day 5, Dalston - Glasgow
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Most bleak, straight, grey and hard part of the journey apart from getting soaked in Pert, and spending almost two hours with a big group of disabled students in a pub. Engaged a bracelet making workshop, chatted with many, it was to warm emotionally I didn't wait for rain to stop to leave =D. However, after reaching Carlisle - only god knows how, I do only remember sad faces there around 6am in the morning, people trying to go to work, but industrial burden was like everywhere, even in the air, I couldn't stay there for long, and finally to the road to Glasgow, long and empty, old motor highway turned into bicycle road but without any maintenance, old and hard asphalt, sometimes disappearing, no shop, no coffee, nothing but pure psychic. A true challenge for my level. Smashed =D. If anyone needs a meditation and purification throughout the body and mind, that's the WAY you can do that.
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